Lu Bin looked down to see Lin Jin passing him a needle that glowed with a golden hue.
This needle surely wasn’t something to be taken lightly. When Lu Bin received it, it felt as if he was wielding a prized sword.
“Mr. Lu, have you remembered everything?” Lin Jin urged impatiently. Lu Bin nodded. “I’ll use this needle to prick Sixth Princess’s right pinky finger and let the dark blood flow out. If anything happens, I have to leave this needle somewhere near the princess no matter what. I think I got it.”
“Alright then, go on.” Lin Jin waved. Lu Bin hid the needle in his sleeve and stepped into the palace. Meanwhile, Lin Jin waited outside.
Lu Bin picked up the pace. Things have been strange since this morning and he was sure that it was the emperor’s orders to fortify security around the palace.
Was it really because of the sixth princess’s curse after all?
The emperor was really trying to stop Lin Jin from curing the princess. To think he would rather believe in false superstitions and sacrifice his daughter’s life to achieve prosperity for his nation!
Lu Bin suppressed his anger.
Ignoring how absurd this sounded. Even if Jade Dragon Kingdom’s fate truly hinged upon the sixth princess, so what? If Lu Bin were to choose, he still wouldn’t sacrifice the princess for some petty blessing for the nation.
“He Qian, I remember how loyal Lady Gu was to you! To think that you’d treat her only daughter this way right after she passes away from an illness. I, Lu Bin, have received too much of her grace so I can’t possibly let the sixth princess die from this curse. Even if this ends up turning the nation upside down, I won’t let you commit such a heartless act.”
Lu Bin gritted his teeth and sped up, soon arriving at He Yu’s quarters. And yet, the moment he reached the gates, he saw many guards inside the courtyard. Sensing something was off, he ran over.
Sure enough, he saw the current emperor, He Qian in the hall with a sorrowful expression, and the palace’s imperial physicians were kneeling beside him.
Lu Bin wanted to enter but the guards stopped him.
“It’s alright. Let him in.” With a wave of the emperor’s hand, Lu Bin was allowed entry.
Lu Bin looked hostile but he was still a minister so salutations were in order.
Before Lu Bin could speak, Emperor He Qian said, “General Lu, I know that you and Yu’er were very close. Take a look at her one last time or you may regret it for the rest of your life.”
“What?!”
Lu Bin was shocked. He practically dashed into the room, trembling, and saw several handmaidens serving He Yu who was currently bedridden. It was as if she was a completely different person from yesterday. He Yu was weaker than ever and was incredibly pale. She was so haggard that it seemed like she would pass anytime soon.
“How could this be?” Lu Bin hurried over. He Yu was already unconscious and her breathing shallow. Lu Bin could even sense the dense aura of death slowly consuming her body.
Remembering something, he immediately pulled the blanket away to look at He Yu’s right hand.
Sure enough, the golden ring on He Yu’s pinky finger was gone without a trace. Her darkened pinky finger had now returned to normal.
Lu Bin could already guess what had happened. He felt rage boiling over within him.
Being a man with a volatile temper, when he lashed out, any rules or law would be thrown out the window. Upon chasing away the maids from He Yu’s bed, he emerged from the room.
This time, when he saw Emperor He Qian, no salutations were used.
Instead, he called the man by his name.
“He Qian, even a vicious tiger wouldn’t eat its own cub. As a father, how could you be so heartless?” As if his eyes would pop out of their sockets, Lu Bin roared in fury.
“How dare you!”
“Preposterous!”
Some of the guards drew their weapons, ready to shield the emperor. Yet, He Qian remained calm and waved his hand, dismissing the soldiers.
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“Your Majesty, this…”
“Don’t worry. General Lu won’t harm me. Leave us.”
The guards exchanged looks before putting their weapons away and stepping down.
“You bunch can leave too.” He Qian said to the group of physicians.
Only He Qian and Lu Bin were left in the room.
“General Lu, you and I were like sworn brothers back then. Your father, Lu Yaogong was our country’s pillar and my ancestor swore to honor your Lu family for three generations so I can overlook your blatant act of disrespect.” He Qian seemed to be of similar age with Lu Bin, but due to the golden robes he was wearing, the emperor exuded a mightier aura.
Lu Bin had calmed down by now.
“He Qian, the Sixth Princess has clearly gotten better yesterday. She was so well in fact, that she seemed like an ordinary healthy young lady. But within the span of a day, she was reduced to this state. Let me ask you, where’s the ring on Sixth Princess’s pinky finger?”
Lu Bin knew it was an important item and he had seen it too. Lin Jin told him that the ring possessed a unique fire spiritual power that could seal the bestial curse away.
Now that the ring was gone, the curse was released and that was how He Yu ended up like this.
Emperor He Qian’s expression faltered slightly but he took the golden ring out nonetheless.
“So it really was you!” Lu Bin moved forward to grab it. He Qian flashed a bitter smile and lifted a finger, casting a burst of energy. Lu Bin pointed back to counter the attack but was still pushed back a few steps.
Sparks flew and the disparity in strength between them was obvious.
“General Lu, calm down!” He Qian wasn’t angry. His cultivation was clearly much more profound and he managed to easily suppress Lu Bin by lending the power of his pet beast.
Despite his anger, Lu Bin knew he was no match for the emperor.
The emperor of Jade Dragon Kingdom was no pushover. To inherit the throne, one must be skilled in education and martial arts. Their cultivation and pet beast rank also had to be the best of the best.
He Qian gained the throne largely due to his prowess.
“Indeed it was I who interfered in matters concerning Yu’er. But it wasn’t my request that she removed the ring. Yu’er did so willingly.” He Qian sighed and turned to the bedroom, looking terribly reluctant.
Lu Bin had a feeling that the emperor might just be telling the truth.
Knowing He Yu’s character, this was the sort of thing she would do.
“General Lu, did you think I’m doing this because I want to? Yu’er is my daughter, my flesh and blood. Moreover, her mother died from dystocia and urged me to take good care of Yu’er before drawing her last breath. Not once have I forgotten this promise but who knew that the curse would end up on Yu’er instead? You have no idea how close I was to losing my mind when I first found out about it.”
As he spoke, He Qian wore a savage expression as his mighty aura began to overflow. It was at that moment that one could sense the true intimidation of Jade Dragon Kingdom’s emperor. His distress was obvious and his helplessness clear as day.
“But it’s no use no matter how reluctant I am. If I could, I’d rather exchange my life for hers,” He Qian lamented.
Lu Bin took deep breaths. After calming himself down, he said, “He Qian, I heard about the royal secret but I don’t believe it. It simply doesn’t make sense. All this talk about the country’s fate is too ethereal. How could it possibly be bound to a curse? Do we have to watch as the young ladies of the royal family die of pain, one by one?”
He Qian shook his head. “You’re right. This secret was just a lie weaved by the previous emperor. After all, four women of the royal family died, including my younger sister, Yu’er’s aunt. The royal family panicked so that’s why the late emperor used this as an excuse to pacify them.”
“So that’s what it is! I knew it!” Lu Bin knew that He Qian still had something to say so he waited patiently.
However, to his disappointment, He Qian’s next statement wasn’t a revelation but a bitter piece of advice. “I did not will this and I have to keep my lips sealed, so I can’t tell you my circumstances. General Lu, for the sake of the big picture, I hope you can stop this madness.”
Lu Bin frowned. So He Qian wanted him to just give up?
And watch He Yu die?
“All this talk but in the end, you’re just trying to sacrifice your daughter to strengthen your status as head of the nation,” Lu Bin growled.